"Do not sacrifice and animal with its ears slit from the front, and animal with its ears slit from the back, an animals with its ears slit lengthwise, and animal with a round hole in its ears, or an animal with one bad eye."
The Book of ad-Dahaya (Sacrifices) - Sunan an-Nasa'i
Hadith Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i 4375
Prohibition of Defective Sacrificial Animals
This noble hadith enumerates five types of defective animals that are not permissible to be offered as sacrifices. The wisdom behind these prohibitions is to ensure that what is offered to Allah is of good quality and free from apparent defects that diminish its value.
Scholarly Commentary on the Five Prohibited Defects
Ears slit from the front: This refers to an animal whose ear tip has been cut off from the front side, which is considered a significant defect that reduces the animal's value and perfection.
Ears slit from the back: Similarly, cutting from the back of the ear constitutes a defect, as the sacrifice should be complete in its physical form.
Ears slit lengthwise: When the ear is split along its length, this represents a major deformity that mars the animal's appearance and value.
Round hole in ears: This indicates perforation or boring through the ear, which was commonly done for identification but renders the animal imperfect for sacrifice.
One bad eye: Blindness or severe impairment in one eye constitutes a clear defect, as the sacrifice should be sound in all its faculties.
Legal Rulings and Wisdom
The scholars of Islam have consensus that these defects invalidate an animal for udhiyah (sacrifice). This ruling emphasizes the importance of offering only the best of what we possess to Allah, in accordance with the divine command: "And do not intend [by it] the bad [portion] to give away" (Quran 2:267). The prohibition serves to maintain the dignity of the ritual and ensure the animal is physically sound and valuable.